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72-561: Zuce is the easternmost settlement in the municipality, located in the low Šumadija region, on the eastern slopes of the Avala mountain in the valley of the Vranovac creek, a tributary to the Bolečica river. Zuce is located south-east of downtown Belgrade, next to both the railway and highway Belgrade- Niš . It generally spreads to the north (in the direction of the neighborhood of Bubanj Potok ) and to

144-454: A centimeter over several million years. The average diameter of a polymetallic nodule is between 3 and 10 cm (1 and 4 in) in diameter and are characterized by enrichment in iron, manganese, heavy metals , and rare earth element content when compared to the Earth's crust and surrounding sediment. The proposed mining of these nodules via remotely operated ocean floor trawling robots has raised

216-421: A direct result of metamorphism. These are the leading source of copper ore. Porphyry copper deposits form along convergent boundaries and are thought to originate from the partial melting of subducted oceanic plates and subsequent concentration of Cu, driven by oxidation. These are large, round, disseminated deposits containing on average 0.8% copper by weight. Hydrothermal Hydrothermal deposits are

288-449: A large source of ore. They form as a result of the precipitation of dissolved ore constituents out of fluids. Laterites form from the weathering of highly mafic rock near the equator. They can form in as little as one million years and are a source of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al). They may also be a source of nickel and cobalt when the parent rock is enriched in these elements. Banded iron formations (BIFs) are

360-462: A national ski center, and by 1936 there were ski pistes and a 20 m (66 ft) ski jumping hill . A special bus line was organized from Slavija to the ski structures on the mountain. The first local, Serbian competition after World War II was also held here, in 1946. The usual route was the one starting at the logger's cabin and ending all the way to the foothills above Ripanj. The tracks were quite crude. Despite low altitude, construction of

432-644: A number of ecological concerns. The extraction of ore deposits generally follows these steps. Progression from stages 1–3 will see a continuous disqualification of potential ore bodies as more information is obtained on their viability: With rates of ore discovery in a steady decline since the mid 20th century, it is thought that most surface level, easily accessible sources have been exhausted. This means progressively lower grade deposits must be turned to, and new methods of extraction must be developed. Some ores contain heavy metals , toxins, radioactive isotopes and other potentially negative compounds which may pose

504-455: A quarantine. The patients were first placed in the mountaineering camp "Čarapićev Brest", which was adapted into the ad-hoc hospital. The patients were later relocated closer to the main road, in the "1000 Ruža" motel. The 1st Air Defense Missile Battalion, one of the " Neva " battalions of the 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade , is located in Zuce, on the eastern slopes of Avala. Settlements near

576-789: A rare type of greenish granite . For decades, kersantite was used for Belgrade buildings. Features built with this stone include the fountain between the Novi Dvor and Stari Dvor , the bordure of the Hotel Bristol , Small Staircase in Kalemegdan Park , pedestal of the Play of Black Horses statues in front of the House of the National Assembly of Serbia and buildings of Belgrade Cooperative , Elementary School King Petar I , Cathedral Church of St. Michael

648-824: A risk to the environment or health. The exact effects an ore and its tailings have is dependent on the minerals present. Tailings of particular concern are those of older mines, as containment and remediation methods in the past were next to non-existent, leading to high levels of leaching into the surrounding environment. Mercury and arsenic are two ore related elements of particular concern. Additional elements found in ore which may have adverse health affects in organisms include iron, lead, uranium, zinc, silicon, titanium, sulfur, nitrogen, platinum, and chromium. Exposure to these elements may result in respiratory and cardiovascular problems and neurological issues. These are of particular danger to aquatic life if dissolved in water. Ores such as those of sulphide minerals may severely increase

720-513: A single mineral, but it is mixed with other valuable minerals and with unwanted or valueless rocks and minerals. The part of an ore that is not economically desirable and that cannot be avoided in mining is known as gangue . The valuable ore minerals are separated from the gangue minerals by froth flotation , gravity concentration, electric or magnetic methods, and other operations known collectively as mineral processing or ore dressing . Mineral processing consists of first liberation, to free

792-539: A sizeable portion of international trade in raw materials both in value and volume. This is because the worldwide distribution of ores is unequal and dislocated from locations of peak demand and from smelting infrastructure. Most base metals (copper, lead, zinc, nickel) are traded internationally on the London Metal Exchange , with smaller stockpiles and metals exchanges monitored by the COMEX and NYMEX exchanges in

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864-486: A variety of geological processes generally referred to as ore genesis and can be classified based on their deposit type. Ore is extracted from the earth through mining and treated or refined , often via smelting , to extract the valuable metals or minerals. Some ores, depending on their composition, may pose threats to health or surrounding ecosystems. The word ore is of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning lump of metal . In most cases, an ore does not consist entirely of

936-453: Is a mountain in Serbia , overlooking Belgrade . It is situated in the south-eastern corner of the city and provides a great panoramic view of Belgrade, Vojvodina and Šumadija , as the surrounding area on all sides is mostly lowlands. It stands at 511 metres (1,677 ft) above sea level , which means that it enters the locally defined mountain category just by 11 m (36 ft). Avala

1008-483: Is a low type of the Pannonian island mountain , though it is actually the northernmost mountain in Šumadija . Until 600,000 years ago, when the surrounding low areas were flooded by the inner Pannonian Sea , Avala was an island, just as the neighboring mountains (Kosmaj, Fruška Gora , etc.), thus earning its geographical classification. However, Avala remains an "island mountain" as the area around it, Pinosava plateau of

1080-478: Is a mineral deposit occurring in high enough concentration to be economically viable. An ore deposit is one occurrence of a particular ore type. Most ore deposits are named according to their location, or after a discoverer (e.g. the Kambalda nickel shoots are named after drillers), or after some whimsy, a historical figure, a prominent person, a city or town from which the owner came, something from mythology (such as

1152-453: Is also known for its young brined cheese ("mladi zučki sir"), from which the cream can not be skimmed. The 1st Air Defense Missile Battalion, one of the " Neva " battalions of the 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade , is located in the village. 44°41′58″N 20°33′20″E  /  44.69944°N 20.55556°E  / 44.69944; 20.55556 Avala Avala ( Serbian Cyrillic : Авала , pronounced [âv̞ala] )

1224-410: Is considered alluvial if formed via river, colluvial if by gravity, and eluvial when close to their parent rock. Polymetallic nodules , also called manganese nodules, are mineral concretions on the sea floor formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core. They are formed by a combination of diagenetic and sedimentary precipitation at the estimated rate of about

1296-547: Is economically viable to mine and process. The grade of ore refers to the concentration of the desired material it contains. The value of the metals or minerals a rock contains must be weighed against the cost of extraction to determine whether it is of sufficiently high grade to be worth mining and is therefore considered an ore. A complex ore is one containing more than one valuable mineral. Minerals of interest are generally oxides , sulfides , silicates , or native metals such as copper or gold . Ore bodies are formed by

1368-518: Is located 16 km (9.9 mi) south-east of downtown Belgrade. The entire area of the mountain belongs to the Belgrade City area, the majority of it being in the municipality of Voždovac , with the eastern slopes being in the municipality of Grocka , and the southernmost extension in the municipality of Sopot . It is possible that in the future the entire area of Avala would create a separate municipality of Belgrade, named Avalski Venac . Avala

1440-509: Is protected. Other species include common buzzard , stock dove , common kestrel , and Eurasian scops owl . A section of the mountain is organized as a game hunting ground. In the Middle Ages , the town of Žrnov or "Avalski Grad" (Avala town) was located on top of Avala. In 1442. it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire , which built a new town in Žrnov's place as a counter-fortress to

1512-472: Is statistically classified as a rural settlement (village). According to the official census of population it had 2,001 inhabitants in 2011. In 2002, Serbs made 96.89% and Goranci 0.84% of the population. Zuce is an agricultural settlement. Major products are corn, wheat and, until 2010s, a quality cabbage. Many of the cabbage fields were sold in 2008 due to the construction of the Belgrade bypass . The village

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1584-470: The NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. Its total reconstruction began in 2006 and was officially opened at a ceremony on 21 April 2010. The new tower is almost the exact replica of the destroyed one, including the unique three-feet base. Belgrade's General Urbanistic Plan (GUP) for the 2001–2021 period defines the mountain as a sports and recreation area. During the 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak , Avala functioned as

1656-431: The ski resort , with sports and recreational venues and a cable car have been proposed in 1994 and 2005. In October 2018, city government announced plans to set a 550 m (1,800 ft) long piste . The construction of the complex, which is planned to be operational over the entire year thanks to the artificial snowing system (skiing specifically from November to February), should start in 2019. The piste will start in

1728-697: The April 2022 campaign for the local elections in Belgrade, favored formation of the municipality, but also of several others. Avala is well connected with Belgrade and other parts of Serbia via roads, highway and railroads. Avalski drum ("Avala road") is an extension of the Boulevard of the Liberation, which directly connects the mountain to downtown Belgrade (via neighborhoods of Selo Rakovica , Jajinci , Banjica , Voždovac, Autokomanda , Karađorđev Park and Slavija ). On

1800-523: The Archangel and Main Post Office Building . As the buildings began to deteriorate over time, city authorities showed interest in the quarry, not only for the repairs but also for future construction. For now, when some deteriorated kersantite feature has to be replaced, the artificial stone is used (as in the case of the pedestal of the Play of Black Horses). Geologists suggested to the city to obtain

1872-497: The Avala to get fenced and protected that way. He also banned construction of houses on the mountain itself. In the early 20th century, plans were made for further forestation of the mountain. In his last visit to Serbia in 1903, Austro-Hungarian naturalist Felix Philipp Kanitz noted that the mountain would become "another exceptional excursion area", after the Topčider park. Remains of

1944-500: The Belgrade city fort, and renamed it "havale", which originally comes from Arabic and means "obstacle" or "shelter". Archeologist Miloje Vasić believed that the vast mines of cinnabarite (mercury-sulfide) on Avala were crucial for the development of the Vinča culture , on the banks of the Danube circa 5700 BC. Settlers of Vinča apparently melted cinnabarite and used it in metallurgy. Mining

2016-578: The Law on mines was issued by the Despot Stefan Lazarević in 1412. In this period, the cinnabarite was used for fresco paintings and was exported to Greece. Mining activities ceased by the 1960s, when the last two mines, Šuplja Stena and Crveni Breg, were closed. Šuplja Stena ("Hollow Boulder") was a mercury mine while in Crveni Breg ("Red Hill"), lead, zinc, silver and gold were extracted. Crveni Breg

2088-730: The United States and the Shanghai Futures Exchange in China. The global Chromium market is currently dominated by the United States and China. Iron ore is traded between customer and producer, though various benchmark prices are set quarterly between the major mining conglomerates and the major consumers, and this sets the stage for smaller participants. Other, lesser, commodities do not have international clearing houses and benchmark prices, with most prices negotiated between suppliers and customers one-on-one. This generally makes determining

2160-504: The Vranovac, a tributary to the Bolečica. A small artificial lake near the village of Pinosava was created on the western slope of the mountain. The settlements in the area are notorious for problems with shortages of drinking water during summer. The mountain has been protected since 1859 as a natural monument , or, by the modern standards, "sight of the exquisite values". That year, Serbian ruling prince Miloš Obrenović issued an order for

2232-553: The acidity of their immediate surroundings and of water, with numerous, long lasting impacts on ecosystems. When water becomes contaminated it may transport these compounds far from the tailings site, greatly increasing the affected range. Uranium ores and those containing other radioactive elements may pose a significant threat if leaving occurs and isotope concentration increases above background levels. Radiation can have severe, long lasting environmental impacts and cause irreversible damage to living organisms. Metallurgy began with

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2304-460: The area of Ripanj, the closed Tešićev Majdan ("Tešić Quarry") is located. The stone pit was privately owned, but was confiscated by the state after World War II and stopped operating before 1960. In the process of restitution after 2000, the quarry was returned to the surviving owners, but they live abroad so the quarry is still not operational. It is the only known location of kersantite in Serbia,

2376-484: The building of the bobsled on rails track, zip-line , mini golf course, artificial climbing rock, children playground and an adventure park . Projected price is €5 million. As the project includes cutting of the mountain forest, the opposition to the project amounted and no works began before 2020. Ore Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals , typically including metals , concentrated above background levels, and that

2448-460: The church, is also made of wood. The church contains epitrachelion of Saint Nectarios of Aegina and pillow of Saint Petka . Annually, from July 1 until July 10, a traditional camp of Serbian mountaineers is held on the Avala. Among other mountaineering activities, there are competitions in: The first skiing competition in Yugoslavia was held on Avala in 1929. In 1934, Belgrade was declared

2520-417: The direct working of native metals such as gold, lead and copper. Placer deposits, for example, would have been the first source of native gold. The first exploited ores were copper oxides such as malachite and azurite, over 7000 years ago at Çatalhöyük . These were the easiest to work, with relatively limited mining and basic requirements for smelting. It is believed they were once much more abundant on

2592-541: The field in the protected downhill of Avala. The field was a recorded habitat of Caspian whipsnake . Illegal construction of the complex of houses, without any permits, began in January 2021. Inspections closed it, but the construction continued before it was halted. Demolition of the complex began in August 2022. Avala is known for its diverse plant life, despite not being a tall mountain. There are over 600 plant species living on

2664-458: The highest concentration of any single metal available. They are composed of chert beds alternating between high and low iron concentrations. Their deposition occurred early in Earth's history when the atmospheric composition was significantly different from today. Iron rich water is thought to have upwelled where it oxidized to Fe (III) in the presence of early photosynthetic plankton producing oxygen. This iron then precipitated out and deposited on

2736-446: The immediate vicinity of the tower and end at the logger's cabin. Due to the altitude and the climate, the north-western slope, in the direction of Pinosava, is chosen. The track has been labeled as the "blue", which means it is of and intermediate level of difficulty. Phase I includes the construction of the piste, ski lift , training trail, snowmaking cannons, decorative lights, parking lots and special machinery. Phase II comprises

2808-620: The main tin source, began. Some 3000 years ago, the smelting of iron ores began in Mesopotamia . Iron oxide is quite abundant on the surface and forms from a variety of processes. Until the 18th century gold, copper, lead, iron, silver, tin, arsenic and mercury were the only metals mined and used. In recent decades, Rare Earth Elements have been increasingly exploited for various high-tech applications. This has led to an ever-growing search for REE ore and novel ways of extracting said elements. Ores (metals) are traded internationally and comprise

2880-677: The medieval Žrnov were removed in 1934 to make way for the Monument to the Unknown Hero . The destruction of Žrnov, which was demolished with dynamite, caused massive discontent among the citizens of Belgrade. In the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia , the mountain was declared a national park , in 1936. In 1946, by the ukaz of the Presidium of the National Assembly of Serbia , Avala was reduced to

2952-573: The mine stoppe working until being partially revived by the Celts. Pots with mercury were discovered in Šuplja Stena, but not the smelting artefacts or slag . A vast number of potteries discovered in Vinča was internally glazed with cinnabarite, with some quartz and phyllosilicates . Examination showed that it matches materials from Avala. Vinča developed c.5700 BC, Vladimir Milojević claim the production for certain from 2000 BC to 750 BC without being able to say when

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3024-577: The mine was opened in 1886. Lead, zinc and silver were mined. It was intermittently operational till 1901 when it was purchased by the Belgian company from the previous Serbian owners. Operational again from 1902, it was sold to the French owners in 1906. It worked until 1941, and in this period 18,800 tons of ore was extracted. It was reopened in 1948 and closed in 1953. 55,000 tons of ore was extracted in this period, containing lead, zinc, silver, gold and copper. Along

3096-449: The mineral avalite , named after the mountain, was found. A greenish mineral, chromian , magnesian or potassic alumosilicate (variety of the mineral illite ), it was discovered by Serbian chemist Sima Lozanić who established its formula. Optically examined by the Israeli mineralogist Tamir Grodek who classified it as a member of the mica mineral group. On the southern slopes, in

3168-528: The mining began. Remains from both the Neolithic and the last Ice Age are also discovered in the cave. It is still debated whether Šuplja Stena is a natural cave or was completely dug for the mining purposes. Remains of the Neanderthal culture were discovered in it. In his 1943 Prehistoric mine Šuplja Stena on Avala hill near Belgrade (Serbia) , Vladimir Milojčić said that the "cave is old as Avala", formed by

3240-540: The most important road in the southern outskirts of Belgrade, which connects all the southern sections of the city. It is also a projected route of the future Belgrade beltway which would continue through the Bolečica river valley and the projected Vinča - Omoljica bridge over the Danube into Vojvodina. Railroads also run on both sides of the mountain. Eastern branch is a section of the Belgrade-Niš railroad. It runs through

3312-400: The motion was dropped. On the mountain itself, there are several springs, of which Sakinac is best known. Despite being the only mountain in the area, Avala is not a source of many rivers. The Topčiderka river, originating in the woods of Lipovička šuma on the south-west, flows on the western slopes of Avala, while the river Bolečica flows on the eastern slopes. Other minor flows include

3384-474: The mountain are not much populous. They include Ripanj (on the south, the largest one, with a population of 10,084 by the 2022 census of population), Pinosava (on the west, 3,239), Zuce (on the north-east, 1,915), Beli Potok (on the north, 3,717), all in the municipality of Voždovac, and Vrčin (on the east, 8,601), in the municipality of Grocka. A movement for creation of the new Belgrade's municipality called Avalski Venac originated in 1996. A motion for

3456-736: The mountain include: Special attractions of the Avala are several monuments. They include: Small church dedicated to the Saint Despot Stefan Lazarević was built in the immediate vicinity of the Avala Tower and Monument to the Unknown Hero. The foundations were consecrated by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church , Irinej , in 2015. Made of white pine and designed by deacon Miroslav Nikolić, it covers only 50 m (540 sq ft). The bell tower , built next to

3528-402: The mountain, Avalski drum divides in three: Sub-Avalan settlements are directly connected to Belgrade by the bus lines of the city's public transportation, with terminus in the Belgrade's neighborhood of Trošarina . The Belgrade–Niš highway , a section of one of the major European roads, European route E75 , runs east of the mountain, through Vrčin. North of the mountain runs Kružni put ,

3600-454: The mountain, but after the joint attack of Yugoslav Partisans and Red Army, Belgrade was liberated on 20 October 1944. In 1965, a 202-metre-high (663 ft) Avala TV Tower was constructed, one of the tallest structures in the Balkans , by the architects Uglješa Bogunović , Slobodan Janjić and M. Krstić. It had a restaurant look-out on 120 m (390 ft). The tower was destroyed during

3672-781: The mountain. Some of them are protected by the law as natural rarities, like certain types of laburnum , box tree , black broom , common holly and martagon lily . The area is also abundant in medicinal herbs , like the early-purple orchid and belladonna . Almost 70% of Avala is forested, or 5.01 square kilometres (1.93 sq mi). Thus, the meadow plant communities are rare. Other protected plant species include common yew and oregano . High woods mostly consist of durmast oak , Turkey oak , hornbeam , beech , linden , black pine , black locust and other trees. Almost 100 species of birds live on Avala, including strictly protected Eurasian sparrowhawk , European honey buzzard and European green woodpecker . Total of 21 bird species

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3744-520: The name of a god or goddess) or the code name of the resource company which found it (e.g. MKD-5 was the in-house name for the Mount Keith nickel sulphide deposit ). Ore deposits are classified according to various criteria developed via the study of economic geology, or ore genesis . The following is a general categorization of the main ore deposit types: Magmatic deposits are ones who originate directly from magma These are ore deposits which form as

3816-559: The northern Low Šumadija, is low and mostly flat. In the north it extends into the woods of Stepin Lug . The mountain is built of serpentinite , limestone and magmatic rocks , which are injected in the shape of cone ( laccolith ). Other peaks include Ladne vode (340 m (1,120 ft)), Zvečara (347 m (1,138 ft)), Sakinac (315 m (1,033 ft)). The Avala had deposits of ores , most notably lead and mercury 's ore of cinnabarite and mining activities which can be traced to

3888-582: The ocean floor. The banding is thought to be a result of changing plankton population. Sediment Hosted Copper forms from the precipitation of a copper rich oxidized brine into sedimentary rocks. These are a source of copper primarily in the form of copper-sulfide minerals. Placer deposits are the result of weathering, transport, and subsequent concentration of a valuable mineral via water or wind. They are typically sources of gold (Au), platinum group elements (PGE), sulfide minerals , tin (Sn), tungsten (W), and rare-earth elements (REEs). A placer deposit

3960-403: The ore from the gangue, and concentration to separate the desired mineral(s) from it. Once processed, the gangue is known as tailings , which are useless but potentially harmful materials produced in great quantity, especially from lower grade deposits. An ore deposit is an economically significant accumulation of minerals within a host rock. This is distinct from a mineral resource in that it

4032-404: The ownership over the land on which the pit is located and to reopen it. The Belgrade City government announced in 2012 that it will unilaterally explore the pit until it gets reopened and inspected it in 2013. Large amounts of already cut kersantite were found. Locals have been illegally extracting the stone and crushing it to use as road cover. After the political change in Belgrade in late 2013,

4104-401: The pre- Antiquity times. Other metals mined on the mountain include silver, gold and zinc. At the Šuplja Stena localities, seven quartz - carbonate veins with minerals and cinnabarite ore were discovered (Šuplja Stena, Dževerov Kamen, Dževerov Potok, Rupine, Kamenik-Spomenik, Kamenik and Prečica), with 13 additional between Šuplja Stena and Topčiderka river. Avala is also a location where

4176-431: The price of ores of this nature opaque and difficult. Such metals include lithium , niobium - tantalum , bismuth , antimony and rare earths . Most of these commodities are also dominated by one or two major suppliers with >60% of the world's reserves. China is currently leading in world production of Rare Earth Elements. The World Bank reports that China was the top importer of ores and metals in 2005 followed by

4248-511: The recreation of the municipality of Ripanj appeared in 2002. The idea was to split municipality of Voždovac of its distant, suburban settlements in the area of the Avala: Ripanj, Beli Potok, Pinosava and Zuce. Later, a motion for Vrčin to split from the municipality of Grocka and creation of a joint sub-Avalan municipality also appeared. If created, the new municipality would have a population of 27,556 in 2022. In September 2007 an official motion

4320-485: The road to Mladenovac there is the Ciganlija mine, with numerous smaller horizontal pits covered with overgrowth. Next to the mine is Zavljak stream, where remains of the slag dated to Antiquity were discovered. The slag contains lead, zinc, copper and silver. The ore in Šuplja Stena was rediscovered in 1882, and in 1883 survey began with digging of the "Jerina" horizontal pit. By 1886, horizontal pit "Prečica" with smelters,

4392-581: The south (in the direction of Vrčin ). The area is known for several water springs, including the "Točak" (wheel) spring. In June 2008, a geothermal water spring (22 Celsius) was found in the alluvial valley of the Zavojnička river, on the depth of 150 meters. Water is currently being tested by the Geology Institute of Serbia, which initially reported that the water, though not hot, might be used for heating via heating pumps which would warm it up. Zuce

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4464-460: The status of the "public property of general benefit" and placed under direct management of the Government of Serbia . Despite being officially protected for almost 150 years, it was only in 2007 that preservation plans for the mountain were made. That way, Avala entered a circle of protected green areas of Belgrade , which also included the mountain of Kosmaj, the island of Veliko Ratno Ostrvo and

4536-465: The surface than today. After this, copper sulphides would have been turned to as oxide resources depleted and the Bronze Age progressed. Lead production from galena smelting may have been occurring at this time as well. The smelting of arsenic-copper sulphides would have produced the first bronze alloys. The majority of bronze creation however required tin, and thus the exploitation of cassiterite,

4608-594: The tunnel under the Avala at Beli Potok and then through Včrin. Western branch runs through Ripanj and the long "Ripanj tunnel" (though not under the Avala), and continues into western Serbia and further into Montenegro , as part of the Belgrade–Bar railway . Avala is a traditional picnic resort for Belgraders, but its capacities are not being used much. In 1984 number of tourists was only 15,700 despite over 1.5 million of inhabitants in Belgrade. Some attractions and capacities on

4680-443: The volcanic activity and elevation of the terrain. The cave was first used by the wild animals and later by the prehistoric peoples, with animal and human remains, and prehistoric mining artefacts have been discovered. However, geographer Dragan Petrović in his work on the caves of Šumadija, lists caves on the present Belgrade's territory, but makes no mention of Šuplja Stena. In Medieval Serbia mining on Avala began in c.1420, after

4752-540: The woods of Stepin Lug, with the forests of Košutnjak and Topčider to be added next. Protected areas of Avala spread over 48,913 hectares (120,870 acres) Some areas within the mountain are additionally protected., including the "Complex of mountain beech, oak, maple and elm", which is in the first level of protection. It is located in the valley of the Vranovica stream, close to the "Čarapićev Brest" visitors' complex. In early September 2020, unknown persons began clearing

4824-633: Was a key point during the Belgrade Offensive in October 1944, a fighting for the liberation of Belgrade in World War II. Germans halted their mechanized units along the Smederevo road, at Mali Mokri Lug , continued equipped with the light weapons and spread over Avala. German units were commanded by lieutenant general Walter Stettner , who was killed during the battle. Germans also had a 7th SS division at

4896-716: Was active on the mountain at 3000 BC. However, it is still contested when people began mining on Avala, from the Neolithic , to the earnest mining by the Celtic Scordisci , prior to Roman conquest. There are three major mines, Šuplja Stena, Crveni Breg and Ciganlija, the first being the most explored. Vasić also claimed that Vinča hosted a Ionian trade colony from the Aegean around 6000 BC, and that Ionian seamen discovered primitive mine in Šuplja Stena. The Ionians continued to mine cinnabarite and with their final departure from Vinča,

4968-437: Was also finished. During this period, numerous pits and shafts were dug, with 7 km (4.3 mi) being dug only in 1891. From 1884 to 1889 it was majority owned by Đorđe Vajfert , when he sold it to an English firm, but continued to manage works. The ore was exported to Vienna , London and China . Though officially closed in 1893, the mine was extracting ore only from 1887 to 1891. From 1889 to 1890 some 30 tons of mercury

5040-450: Was closed in 1953 and has traces of the usage from the Roman period. It has seven levels, out of which four are flooded, and the stalactites are being formed inside. By 2009 the upper level was prepared for visitors, having been cleaned and lighted for some 300 m (980 ft), but the project of turning it into a tourist attraction failed. The survey of the Crveni Breg began in 1870, and

5112-435: Was sold. The survey of Šuplja Stena was continued in 1910 and, with interruptions, lasted until 1959, while the preparatory works for the reopening began in 1967. Smelters was built, the production continued in 1968 and until spring 1972 when it was finally closed, the mine produced 80 tons of mercury. Mine in Šuplja Stena is considered one of the best explored one, in geological, chemical, mineralogical and mining sense. Avala

5184-474: Was started by the municipality of Voždovac to create this new municipality, which would also include Resnik from the municipality of Rakovica Supported by the local administration headed by the Democratic Party at the time, it was blocked by the members of the same party on the city level. It was also proposed by the political party G17 Plus in 2010 and Nova Stranka in 2015. Coalition Moramo , during

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